Thoughts and Reflections

Trusting in the Lord

John 16:33

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Have any of us ever wished we could tell the future? Are any of us the type of person who would like to know what is coming next? I mean – if we could know the day and time of something in our life – would we appreciate that knowledge or would it freak us out? I’m not sure for me – whether I would want to know or not.

What if we could know when we were going to die? What if we could know what will happen next week in our life? What if we had an idea about how we would be treated because of whom we followed on social media?

Dear Christian readers – listen to God when God says – the world will hate us because we follow Him. Jesus tried to warn His disciples – His followers – about what was coming – about the hate that we would face in the world we live in today. In the midst of some of His warnings – we find today’s passage – I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

We don’t follow Christ to be liked by the world – for sure. We shouldn’t expect the opposite of what God tells us – right? In the previous chapter of John’s gospel – Jesus told His disciples – His followers – these words. John 15:18-19 – 18If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

So – today’s passage speaks of peace – the peace that comes from knowing the future – that loving God will bring about hatred from the world. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.We can actually have peace amidst the hatred. We can have peace knowing that loving God is more important than being loved by the world. We can have peace – knowing that in the end – God is on our side and we will live with Him for eternity.

I think one thing that hampers our peace in life is when we strive to please too many people. We have way too many people to answer to at work – at home – in life – on social media. When there are too many head chefs – the stew is almost always spoiled.

Instead of trying to answer to God and the many voices of the world – we should strive to answer to the only One that counts – God. The world will hate us whether we answer to them or not – if we follow Christ – so why try to please the world? Please God! We should grow and mature in our faith. We should give God reign over all of our life! Let God be the Lord of every room in our house – bow before God and serve Him and Him alone.

Our peace is based on being focused on Jesus and striving to please Him. If we vary our focus and put our eyes on the storms around us we will surely sink in the waters of the storm. We should follow Jesus and Jesus alone! We should trust in the Lord – Jesus – over and above our desires and thoughts. Just saying…